1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a hand-operated video controller and particularly to means for mounting a flat spring used to control tilting motion of the hand controller and to provide positive tilting movement and pressure to make and break a series of spaced electrical contacts to control for example, a video game cursor.
2. Prior Art
Video games use a hand controller as a means of communication between player and computer or other video screen device. The hand controller typically communicates desired movement of a cursor on the video screen. The hand controller top is tilted from a central position into an up, down, left or right position or, in some models, the four positions between the up, down, right and left positions, to communicate a corresponding movement of the cursor on the video screen. Movement in a particular direction makes or breaks electrical contacts connecting various circuits in the video game system. A spring automatically returns the controller to the central position and therefore stops movement of the cursor after the force tilting the controller top is removed and electical contact broken. The related application shows a one-piece spring which has connected outer and inner rings which are respectively mounted to planar plastic blanks which in turn are mounted to upper and lower portions of a video hand controller casing. A tied ball bearing is provided to provide for tilting movement of the spring and to allow the tilting action. A switch contact foil is provided between one of the blanks and a spacer so that tilting movement of a top portion of the controller with respect to a bottom portion makes and breaks electrical contacts which moves a video game cursor in up-down-left-right directions or combinations thereof. So-called "joy sticks" are also employed, such as seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,124,787 and 4,349,708. These include an upstanding handle which may be tilted in any direction. Such movement forces a circular plastic operator against one or two electrical contacts and a concentric flexible boot attached to the handle and the casing along with an internal spring provides the restorative force to recenter the handle when the user's hand is removed from the handle.